Why Are Regular People Selling BTC to Wall Street?

Natalie Brunell sits down with Alex Leishman, Founder, CEO & CTO of River. Alex shares what River's own client data reveals about who is buying and selling Bitcoin right now — and why big institutions are quietly accumulating during this downturn while everyday investors sell. In this episode: - Is Bitcoin still Bitcoin if Wall Street owns a growing share of it? - Why most people never move their Bitcoin off an exchange - How scammers actually steal Bitcoin, and the simple habits that stop them - Whether quantum computing is a real threat to your Bitcoin, and how River is preparing - Why Alex has no plans to take River public, even as competitors go the other way - What Alex tells people when everyone around them has turned bearish Follow Alex Leishman on X: and sign up for River at 📖 Order Natalie's new book "Bitcoin is For Everyone," a simple introduction to Bitcoin and what’s broken in our current financial system ⚡ *Borrow against your Bitcoin without selling it with Ledn* Ledn offers Bitcoin-backed loans built for serious holders, with rates that get lower as your loan size increases. With Ledn’s custodied loan product, your Bitcoin is held in custody and not lent out. Ledn has operated through multiple market cycles without a loss of client assets and publishes Proof of Reserves so you can verify what they hold. Get 0.25% off your first bitcoin-backed loan → (Offer subject to terms and eligibility. Digital asset lending involves risk, including loss of collateral.) ⚡ *Bitdeer Technologies Group* (NASDAQ: BTDR) powers AI and Bitcoin mining infrastructure with 3 GW of secured global energy — and owns the entire stack, from equipment manufacturing to data centers to proprietary orchestration software. Learn more at ⚡ *Abundant Mines* Fully-managed Bitcoin mining in the U.S. You own the miners. You keep 100% of the Bitcoin. Voted #1 mining company by peers. Get 1 month of free hosting ⚡ *Speed Lightning Wallet* Speed is my go-to Bitcoin Lightning wallet! Send, receive, or swap stablecoins and digital gold into Bitcoin in one app. Run a business? Speed powers Bitcoin payments for Steak 'n Shake, and it can do the same for you. Download at and use code COINSTORIES10 for 5,000 free sats after your first transaction. ⚡ Download *Bitkey* today and use my promo code STORIES to get 10% off the new Bitkey. This episode was sponsored by Bitkey. ⚡ *The Bitcoin Way* Master Bitcoin self-custody and gain peace of mind with 1-on-1 training: ⚡ *BitcoinIRA* You can invest in bitcoin 24/7 inside a tax-advantaged IRA. Choose a Traditional IRA to defer taxes, or a Roth IRA for tax-free withdrawals later. Take control of your future with BitcoinIRA ⚡ *Kalshi* is the largest prediction market in the world. Use code HODL and get $25 when you trade $25: *Extra Services to Consider* ⚡ Stop over-paying for healthcare coverage. Join me at CrowdHealth with a discounted plan at: *TIMESTAMPS* 00:00 Intro 1:55 Who's selling Bitcoin, and who's buying 3:59 Can Wall Street…